Thomas "Tom" Roe passed away Monday, March 17, 2025 in Brookings, South Dakota. Visitation will be held Monday, March 24, 2025 from 5:00-6:00PM at Eidsness Funeral Home. Memorial Service will be held Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at 2:00PM at Ascension Lutheran Church.

Tom was born and raised in Brookings, SD - the eldest child of Arlyn and Barbara Roe. Tom had four sisters and one brother. Tom graduated from Brookings High School. He achieved his Bachelor of Science in Math from South Dakota State University, and went on to complete his Masters in Math from the University of Wyoming, and then a Doctorate of Education from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, focusing his research on the effectiveness of distance learning.

Tom did some graduate work with statistics at Michigan State. He taught for seven years at the St. Clair County Community College in Port Huron, MI. Tom moved to Brookings in 1983 and taught Statistics at SDSU. Tom earned Teacher of the year in 1995 and then retired in 2018.

In 1995, Tom received the tremendous gift of a donated kidney from his sister Katey, which let him have 30 more years of life with us. Tom will be remembered for his quick wit, brilliant mind, and love for his family. Tom was a member of Ascension Lutheran Church in Brookings.

Tom is survived by his wife of 52 years, Mary Roe; children - Jay (Rachel) Roe, Julie Hemmer, Inga (Mike) Mehlenbacher, and Greg Roe; grandchildren - Jonas Hemmer, Jill Hemmer, Mikey Mehlenbacher, Lex Roe, and Max Mehlenbacher; siblings Jane (Jeff) Cooper, Mary (Larry) Praytor, Peggy (Bob) Sik, Andy (Rhonda) Roe, Katey (Todd) Lawrence, and many nieces and nephews.

Tom is preceded in death by his father and mother, Arlyn and Barbara Roe.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the South Dakota State University Foundation to the Mathematics and Statistics Department Excellence Fund in honor of Tom Roe.